as his account exactly tallies with the one Miss Isabel
Smith (now Mrs Finch) has kindly written out for me for insertion in
this volume, I will quote the latter from her own words. I must premise
that Miss Smith turned out to be naturally clairvoyant and
clair-audient, rather to the disgust of my brother, who considered
himself superior to these "superstitions." Her narrative is interesting
not only in itself, but because it is an object lesson in the curious
"hits and misses" in psychic investigation. In this case a spirit
confessed to an impersonation; but it was an impersonation of the
brother of a man whom my brother had really known in India--a fact
entirely apart from any possible knowledge on the part of Miss Smith,
who had never met my brother at the time of her adventure. I will now
give Miss Smith's narrative.

"When at Grindelwald in the winter 1900-1901 an excarnate entity came
and spoke to me. He seemed much interested in the South African
campaign; told me he had been a soldier, first in the Rifle Brigade,
then in the Indian army. When I asked his name he said he was Henry
Arthur Chomley (the name of a celebrated ambassador was the one given),
that he was a brother of Sir Frederic Chomley, and had been in the
Rifle Brigade and in India, _and had passed over two or three years
before_.

When, shortly afterwards, I returned to Cambridge Terrace, he realised
the changed surroundings, and asked where I was. On learning I was in
rooms he asked whether there was anyone else in the house, and on my
telling him there was a paralysed military man downstairs named Bates,
he exclaimed 'What! Charlie Bates? I knew him very well in India--do ask
him if he remembers me!'

I said I did not know the gentleman, but would certainly ask him if an
opportunity should occur.

A few days after this, a message was brought up to me from Colonel
Bates, asking for my uncle, General Propert's, address in Burmah. This
gave me the opening. I wrote giving the required information, and
suggested that I might come and have a talk with him.

In my next conversation with 'Colonel Chomley' I told him all this, and
he again said: '_Mind you ask him about me!_' I answered: '_How can I,
when I don't know what Colonel Bates' ideas are on these subjects? He
might look on me as a dangerous lunatic!_'

Colonel Chomley remarked: '_I think you will find that he is interested
in psychic matters._'

I discovered that this was true, for on m